Thursday 12 March 2015

From MartinC - Iranian Air Power and Iraqi Command and Control (140 Points)

Firstly I would like to thank Curt, this year's challenge was my first foray into the blogosphere and my first real contact with like minded individuals for many years. It has been the most fun I've had with my hobby. I have painted a ridiculous number of figures covering 2500 years of history, I have received countless pieces of invaluable advice, I have learnt a whole new painting style which I really like, I have new favourite manufacturers (Aventine and Hasslefree), I have spent a bleeding fortune on figs and painted nearly all of them, I'm still pretty bad at photography, I have discovered the joys of broom bristle spears, grass tufts, thinned down paint and super sculpty, and I appear to have accidently invented battles on flying carpets. Thank you all, it's been the least boring winter since I was 7.

So this week I have built and painted the opposition to last week's Black Ravens, The Sultan of Baghdad's Flying Carpet Corps. These are the Sultan of Basra's Eagles. The Sultan of Basra was the good guy in the original Thief of Baghdad (the one who got the magical flying horse - and that may follow). These have carpets with only archers or carpets with only halberders. There is also a magician to provide dust devils and fireballs.

Eagles

Sultan and Body Guard

Magician

 Archer Carpet

 Halberder Carpet



The figures are a mix of Black Tree Design (they arrived in 48 hours as opposed to the 7 weeks for the previous order) and Gripping Beast Plastic Arab Warriors (also arrived in 48 hours). The carpets are again Super Sculpty.

Still working on rules, elevation is a issue as height is an advantage and therefore all units will end up high up which defeats the objective.

I also built the transport for the Sultan of Baghdad. I wanted to do something different for this figure and thought about other forms of transport, balloons, eagles, dragons, dirigibles etc. but instead I decided a man of his power would need to flaunt it. So I present the Floating Court of the Sultan of Baghdad. The Sultan has kidnapped the Sultan of Basra's beautiful daughter Fatima and has her chained to his chief torturer Mustapha. He is protected by his 2 nubile Nubian bodyguards and has brought along a slave girl for "entertainment".






Fatima



The cushions, vases and recliner are made from Super Sculpty and the tables are cut off roofing nails, the dog tooth pattern on the carpet hasn't shown up too well on the photos.
The Sultan is a BTD Dr Who villain (can't remember who) but I liked the figure and the mask and robe look suitably sinister. The rest of the retinue are Hasslefree. The carpet is 10cm x 10 cm and a little unstable so I pre-drilled a hole and nailed it to a wooden baton, when in doubt use a hammer. I tried to make the clouds interesting but had issues with dying / painting the cotton wool so will do that again.

This is about 135 points, unless Curt feels generous about the points for the floating court, and puts me though my 2500 goal, which is nice. That means I've exceeded my initial target by 150%, also nice. Next stop daylight and gardening, although maybe one more unit and if I can find a table big enough a shot of all I've painted.


From Curt:

I've really loved this little Harryhausen foray of yours Martin - it's so wonderfully creative. I think you need to add a Cyclops and perhaps some skeleton warriors. Great fun.

Congratulations on hitting your 2500 point target. An impressive feat for your first foray.

Finally, I'm delighted you've found the Challenge so enjoyable. As you say it's a great way to share time, be productive and have a few laughs with people of a 'singular character'.  I can't think of a better way to spend the winter! :)


27 comments:

  1. More fabulously creative work Martin :)

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    1. Thanks. I will have either another 58 or 152 points to submit by end of challenge, depends how drunk I get tonight. Which means you need to paint 262 or 356 points worth to come 5th. Go for it

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    2. I'll settle for 6th place - no way I can paint that much in a week :)

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    3. Think I'm relieved but I did have the advantage for posting in the bonus rounds which you didn't.
      It has been fun

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    4. Tamsin... Just get your finger out !

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  2. Well done Martin, that's one mad, but fun set of figures!! Glad you enjoyed the Challenge and got into the spirit of things!

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    1. Thanks. It's been great and I've had to build extra storage space for the figs.

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  3. Great job Martin! A very creative entry!

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  4. Absolutely awesome. What a great idea and I like the thought that has gone into each type of carpet. The sultan's carpet is a cracking little playable diorama!

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    1. Cheers, I will paint some mobile guys to jump carpets so that they can fight on the carpet

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  5. I have enjoyed seeing these. I keep thinking I should make some, but I have no use for them. Might be fun to make some though.

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    1. Thanks, I had no use for them either so a painted more and now they can fight each other.

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  6. Brilliant set of figures, I really like the creativity that's gone on with these.

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  7. The magician is my favourite, lovely work

    Ian

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    1. Thanks, he's mine too, came out well and my best photo

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  8. Great stuff! That Sultan knows how to go to war in style!

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    1. ta, not sure which I want more at flying carpet or a naked slave girl, too scared of heights for one and probably too old for the other

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  9. Marvellous! Looking forward to perhaps a game report on carpet wars. Will Fatima get rescued?
    Glad you have enjoyed your time in the challenge. Been great seeing your contributions. Cheers

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    1. Cheers, still working on the rules but she does make an interesting objective marker I think, better than a farmhouse or cross roads

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  10. Sheer off the wall madness... I love it...personal favourite is the magician.. But the Sultans main transport is wonderfully created..so glad you have enjoyed your time with this ever so slightly barking mad corner of the blog o sphere

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  11. Have loved every bit, even the crappy perry cavalry. The flying carpet weirdness is the icing on cake. Cheers mate. Don't you have some beja to paint:)

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  12. A truly grand entry. It's been great seeing you embrace the challenge a get to "know" you through your work. Fantastic job on crushing your point total, I am failing to reach mine for the second year in a row.

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    1. Thanks. I do feel I've got to know a lot of people I'll never meet through their work and it's been joyous.

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  13. Wonderfully imaginative! They all look great!

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  14. Thanks, the super sculpty stuff is really great to use, it's very forgiving and strong when baked

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